Lawrence MORLEY

MORLEY, Lawrence O.C.
Peacefully at his home in Leith, on Monday, April 22nd, 2013. Lawrence Whitaker Morley, at the age of 93 years. Husband of Beverly Morley (nee Beckworth) and the late Patricia Morley (nee Marlow). Loving father of Lawrence Morley, of Denver, Patricia Morley- Forster (Benjamin), of London, Christopher Morley, of Calgary, Sandra Wellman (Jeffery), of Shelburne, Stephen Burdett (Linda Manzone), of Washago and Richard Burdett (Cecile Casimiri), of Toronto and special uncle to Catherine Boyer (Charles), of Ottawa. Proud grandfather of Eric and Graham Forster, Joshua and Marcus Wellman, Lee and Daniel Burdett, Leah and Chloe Burdett, Kelley Kodybka (Mike Nembhardt), Beverly Kodybka (Jeff Dowdall). He was a proud member of the Silver C's and the St. George's Brotherhood of Anglican Churchmen. In the early 1970s, Dr. Morley was the founder and first President of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society (CRSS) and the first Director General of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS). His contributions to Remote Sensing in Canada and internationally are immense. He leaves for us all a legacy of integrity, passion and dedication to the peaceful and productive use of remote sensing for the public good. He made important and lasting contributions in several fields, most notably Remote Sensing and also geology. He was the first geophysicist at the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) from 1952 and he played a lead role in developing the Morley-Vine-Matthews hypothesis of magnetic imprinting of ocean basins that led to experimental proof and laid the foundation for the Theory of Plate Tectonics. He later led the development of Remote Sensing techniques that were instrumental in the production of thousands of maps of the natural resources of Canada and elsewhere. He was a pioneer both scientifically and through numerous new initiatives in remote sensing, for which he was recognized as the first recipient of the CRSS Gold Medal in 1986. He was awarded the Gold Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 1995, and in 1999 was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada (OC). A veteran of World War II, he served as a radar officer for the Royal Canadian Navy during the Battle of the Atlantic and other missions. Predeceased by his parents, Judge W. George Morley and Olive Boyd Morley; his son, David Morley; his brother, George Morley; his sisters, Mary Morley and Kathleen Stark. A Funeral Service for Lawrence Morley will be held at St. George's Anglican Church, 1049 - 4th Avenue East, Owen Sound, on Saturday, May 25th, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Graham Bland officiating. Interment in Leith Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Residential Hospice of Grey- Bruce Inc. 3 - 1565 - 16th Street East #265, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 5N3 or to St. George's Anglican Church, 1049 - 4th Avenue East, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 2P5 as your expression of sympathy and may be made through the BRIAN E. WOOD FUNERAL HOME, 250 - 14th Street West, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 3X8 (519-376-7492). Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.woodfuneralhome.ca